Not Alone
by Fred-Weasley-Isn't-Dead
Summary: Emma has been alone ever since Fred and George left Hogwarts. They were the only two that accepted her. Because, really, how many seventh year Gryffindors had a Dark Mark?


I sat quietly on the stairs, the ones that no one used anymore. I could hear people laugh and cheer in the warm summer air. It was June 29, the last day before graduation then we would be heading off for the real world, one unprotected from He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I shuddered. Below, I could her teachers grumbling, but none of them told the seventh years to shut up. The seventh years had collected fireworks from the twins, who left about two months ago, in April. Professor Dumbledore, who didn't care if they had a last night of fun, had allowed them this one night, so long as the tricks and toys and fun and games were over by one am. He had just gotten his job back and although he didn't care about the Ministry's opinion, he didn't want to leave his school in such a state of vulnerability again. They had agreed rather hastily, the festivities beginning at six. I should be down there with them, but no one wanted to see me. They Slytherins were celebrating in the same area. Their arguments with the other houses put aside for the sake of the last night at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I sighed. No one had talked to me except Sir Nicholas and the Grey Lady, Helena Ravenclaw. They knew about isolation, although we weren't very good friends. Hagrid would talk to me just about every other day, when he hadn't heard a new rumor. I was going to be an Auror, but for some spare Knuts, I was getting an internship at Weasleys Wizard Wheezes. Their motto was my idea.

"Boo," a voice whispered in my ear. I jumped and shivered. It'd been two months since I heard that voice. It was somewhat cold yet it warmed my insides to hear it again. I turned around slowly. Red hair, a few inches taller than me, but just barely, eyes that speared into my soul the second they met and a face full of freckles. A smiled drifted onto my face. Fred Weasley had returned to Hogwarts.

"How did you make it in here?" I whispered, scanning around for curious eyes. For the first time on my life, I was thankful I was invisible and overlooked. "The Inquisitorial Squad is still on the watch for you and George."

"I have my ways." His mysterious tone matched with a sly smile on his face.

"You know what, I don't care how you did it, I'm just so glad you're here!" I beamed; my heart in my throat and butterflies in my stomach. I threw my arms around his neck and buried my head in his shoulder.

Fred nestled his head in my hair and inhaled. "Mmm, I missed that smell." He sighed, referring to my raspberry scented shampoo. His arms wound around my waist, drawing me closer. We stood their in silence for a moment, just listening to each other breathe.

Eventually he pulled away and rolled up my left sleeve. I instinctively flinched and pulled it away, unraveling the sleeve to cover my arm.

"I need to see it, Em," he told me in a soft, but firm tone. I reluctantly gave him my arm and he gently moved the sleeve up to my elbow, away from my brand. I looked at it. It had been darker than it ever was today. His gaze was fixed upon it, somewhat intently. It was as though he was trying to figure out when You-Know-Who would be back to fight.

The sound of heels tapping against the marble floor captured my attention. I looked up to see my Head of House, Minerva McGonagall, striding down the hall way, her face rejoiced at the passing of another year and that Umbridge was gone, but she looked sad, as though she would miss her seventh year cubs.

"Mr. Weasley." She gasped in shock and surprise. Although he and George had landed in detention often, McGonagall was quite fond of them. "And Ms. Rookwood?" Suddenly, a smile appeared on her face and she told us to 'Carry on.' She walked away, murmuring to herself about some Septimus Weasley. Fred gagged. That was his grandfather. Thank Merlin for Cedrella Black.

Fred and I stood dumbfounded, my jaw touching the ground. She was a romantic! Who knew? Fred took my hand and pulled me away from the staircase. We walked past the Great Hall, where Lee Jordan was about to approach us, but when Fred stopped moving I turned around. Lee gave him a look, raised his goblet and drained whatever drink it contained before turning and occupying Alicia Spinnet's attention. I uncomfortably pulled my sleeve down, covering my brand. My father forced me to get it. He had me under the Imperious Curse when I got and I had never experienced it, therefore, was unable to fight it. He gave my hand another tug and pulled me out to the Quidditch field. We sat in the bleachers, looking at the dark sky.

"You don't know how alone I've felt since you left," I whispered to him, resting my head on his shoulder again. I've been alone ever since he left; he and George were the only ones to talk to me ever since August 19, 1995, my sixteenth birthday. He had run into me at Diagon Alley, after I'd been marked.

"I know you felt alone, Em." He kissed my temple, running a hand through my brown hair, stopping when he reached the small of my back, where my hair ended, and starting again. "And I'm sorry, for leaving you unprotected." Even though I had the Mark, I was still hated by Slytherins, because I was in Gryffindor.

I shook my head and looked him in the eye. "Don't you dare think that," I told him sternly. "No one would dare mess with me. And if they did, I could just roll up my sleeve and remind them, one touch, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would appear.

Fred smiled softly and kissed my forehead. I looked up at him through my eyelashes. He held up a finger as to pause myself and bent down in front of me on one knee. He pulled a blue velvet box out of thin air. My heart stopped.

"I don't care if your father's a Death Eater. I don't care if you have the Dark Mark. I love you, Emma Rookwood, will you marry me?" He asked in a soft tone and a face fill of hope.

I nodded; unable to locate the ability to speak. Fred slipped the ring on my finger and picked me up off the ground, spinning me around. He was stronger than he looked, because I was around a good one hundred thirty pounds. My head wheeled. My mood was euphoric, my eyes closed in ecstasy. I then noticed how dark it was, being almost eleven pm. We shared a kiss straight out of a romance movie, something like the kiss in the 1953 movie Titanic. I loved that movie. It seemed to be on of the greatest romances of all times, though the ship sinking was tragic. He grabbed my left hand again, fiddled with the ring so the diamond was facing upwards where everyone could see it then led me back to the Great Hall, where I received many unfriendly glares.

Fred hopped on top of the Gryffindor table, pulling me up with him. He released my hand and used his two pointer fingers to produce an ear piercing whistle. "Alright, listen up," He shouted. Many glances flew Dumbledore, who gazed at Fred, unperturbed. He apparently didn't seem to care that Fred had returned. "I know that you all know Emma Rookwood, either personally or by rumors." He gestured a hand to me. I gave him a What-The-Hell-Are-You-Doing look then waved shyly. He carried on as though I hadn't given him a stink eye. "She is _**not**_a Death Eater, nor will she ever be, despite the Dark Mark on her left arm," He announced, showing my arm to the occupants of the Great Hall. "And now, we've decided to be married."

Cheers erupted from the Hall, despite hatred of me. People started to chant '_Kiss_', so Fred wrapped an arm around me and drew me into a long kiss.

Holding up a goblet full of firewhiskey to the crowd, he whispered in my ear. "Em. From now on, you're never alone." Then we kissed one more time in front of the Great Hall.


End file.
